A popular seafront nightspot fears huge security gates blocking the road could 'drive away' top DJs.

The Concorde 2, on Madeira Drive, was the birthplace of Fatboy Slim's Big Beach Boutique and hundreds of partygoers flood to the venue every weekend.

But the managers fear new measures to prevent boy racers tearing along the road will also stop top performers from parking their tour buses outside.

The new gates have been put in place at Duke's Mound and Colonnade and close at short notice when boy racer events are expected.

A six-month trial has just taken place and Brighton and Hove City Council is expected to rule to keep them installed next Thursday.

Club director Ian Pavlides said performers like Blu Cantrell and Jamie McCullan, who charge £5,000 a night, would simply drive away if staff at the barrier stopped them getting to the club.

Mr Pavlides, 60, from Kings Road in Brighton has written to the council to express his fears but said he has been given no reassurances.

"If the gates are locked it's going to be a catastrophe, we're going to be in serious trouble.

"We've got a big problem with tour buses coming down because we have to get the artists down there.

"It would be an absolute disaster if they find they cannot get access because there's someone on the gate saying they cannot pass."

The club managers are also angry the council has not made clear if the gates will be chained shut for the entire evening or staffed.

"They are saying one minute it's going to be locked and the next it's going to be manned," Mr Pavlides said.

The visiting acts also have to unload decks and heavy sound systems to perform and need an electricity supply to keep their tour busses powered up.

The gates could also prevent taxis from picking up clubgoers.

The problems stem from the boy racers who arrive in their hundreds to show off their cars and perform stunts on the seafront.

Kim McGeer, 22, is the box office manager at the club.

She said: "I've seen the boy racers burning up and down there. It's really dangerous.

"There has been at least three accidents this year and there have been pile ups outside."

The club managers want traffic calming measures like road humps and more police officers along the road to catch the culprits.

Jenny Rowlands, the council environmental director, admitted Concorde 2 would be most hit by the gates because they would shut on some evenings.

But she said the gates would be manned when they were shut and tour buses and taxis would be allowed through.

She said: "This is not a random action and we've looked closely with the police at the issue over a considerable amount of time.

"It's to the benefit of everyone that these measures are taken to stop the speeding."